Mourdock ad focuses on Medicare, Social Security, ties Donnelly to the president

INDIANAPOLIS - Republican Richard Mourdock has a new name for his Democratic opponent in Indiana's U.S. Senate race: "Obama Joe."

It's what his campaign calls U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly in a television advertisement hitting the airwaves Friday morning in what polls are showing to be Indiana's tightest statewide race.

The new ad is a swing back as a Democratic group airs a tough spot of its own accusing Mourdock of questioning Medicare's constitutionality – as well as an effort to bolster Mourdock's positioning on one of the campaign's key issues.

"Stop these lies and distortions. Richard Mourdock is committed to protecting and preserving Social Security and Medicare," a narrator says as the state treasurer's ad begins.

"It's personal for Mourdock. His parents, veterans of World War II, rely on these important programs," the narrator says as a photo of Mourdock's parents is displayed.

The ad is airing in Indianapolis, Evansville and Terre Haute, and ends Donnelly's nearly two-week run as the race's only candidate airing ads.

What Donnelly and Mourdock are sparring over – with Donnelly-backing Majority PAC and Mourdock's campaign using World War II-era footage in their new spots – is which candidate would better protect Medicare.

Mourdock sees Donnelly's vote for President Barack Obama's health care law – one that trims $716 billion in spending growth over a decade by reducing the rates paid to health care providers who serve Medicare patients – as one that makes him vulnerable on the issue.

"It's ironic that Joe Donnelly is attacking Richard Mourdock for working to protect and preserve Medicare and Social Security when Congressman Donnelly is the one who provided a key vote to cut $716 billion from Medicare," said Mourdock spokesman Christopher Conner.

Donnelly, meanwhile, has footage of Mourdock challenging a Madison, Ind. tea party crowd to find the words Medicare and Social Security in the U.S. Constitution. "Nowhere is the word ‘entitlement' present in the enumerated powers," Mourdock says.

He also has indicated that he supports a proposal by Republican Mitt Romney's presidential running mate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, to transition Medicare into a voucher program for those under age 55. Mourdock said Ryan's overall budget proposal might not go far enough, fast enough.

"Richard Mourdock is continuing his ‘my way or the highway' behavior, including not letting facts get in the way of a partisan attack," said Donnelly spokeswoman Elizabeth Shappell.

"The truth is, Richard Mourdock questioned the constitutionality of Medicare and Social Security. Mourdock's budget would end the Medicare guarantee and raise out-of-pocket costs for seniors by more than $6,000."

She also noted that Mourdock's new nickname for Donnelly appears to be a new one. "And who calls him Obama Joe, anyway?" she said.

A Google search did not turn up any uses of that moniker in the race so far. However, Mourdock's campaign said it will be launching a new website intended to demonstrate that Donnelly has been a reliable Obama supporter on measures such as the health care law and the stimulus.